Finding balance

Ben pointed out that my last post was depressing. I didn't intend for it to be that way. But the truth isn't always painted in pink shades. I was a little sad at the time, and the words conveyed my mood.

Today, however, I'm feeling the opposite. Since I don't want to leave you with that somber post for more than a day, I'll balance the bad with the good.

It's Christmas in Bradyland today. I came home to find that my latest purchases from Amazon had arrived: Guests of the Ayatollah by Mark Bowden (my hero!) and In Cold Blood by Truman Capote (to think I was a J-school student and never read it). I also got a gift card to a very nice store from an even nicer friend. I will cherish it for a few days or weeks, before I find something special to purchase with it.

But back to the books. I'm currently reading Running with Scissors by Augusten Burroughs, and I'm bored with it. It's dark comedy, which I thought I'd love. I mean, I do love it. But his book, which is critically acclaimed (I will write about reviews at a later date), doesn't do it for me. I don't mind the obscenity of it. There's nothing in there that I haven't heard or read about before. I'm two-thirds done, and I've maybe laughed three times. And not this hardy laugh either; it's more like a light chuckle.

I want to finish this book fast, because I get all hyper just thinking about the books waiting for me to open them. However, I don't know which one to read first.

Right now, I'm inclined to read Bowden's book first. I've been going back and forth with his assistant for two months trying to set up a meeting, and I think it would be shameful not to read his latest book. What kind of fan would I be? I hadn't bought it because it's hardcover, and as you all are plenty aware, I'm cheap. His book is about the 1979 hostage-taking of 66 Americans over 444 days in Iran. The New York Times says "[Mark Bowden] is a master of narrative journalism." I usually think these reviews have no value. They're all the same, and I wonder about the people behind them. However, he IS a master of narrative journalism. If you don't believe me, read Black Hawk Down.

What are your thoughts? Should I read Guests of the Ayatollah or In Cold Blood first?

Also, my next book purchase: The Mammouth Book of Journalism. It's exactly what it says -- a collection of 101 journalism stories penned by the most famous writers since the late 1800s.

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I am not good at making decisions. I'm a nightmare to shop with; I can analyze a $5 accessory like there's no tomorrow. My latest quandry? I'm trying to decide whether I should take Spanish class two nights a week at the International Language Institute in Washington, D.C. for two months.

My mom and sister are big cheerleaders. They want me to take the class. My mom says it's an investment. Some say it's very cool.

Others think I should focus on working, getting a job and having a blast during my final months here.

Then there's the lurking question of whether it'll be stressful to take this on. I like a little stress, although people around me when I'm stressed don't necessarily like me. It makes me feel like I'm being productive.

I invite you to weigh in on this topic, too.